Ladbrokes Tip: The Wagga Wagga Gold Cup is one of the early The Big Dance eligibility races
The next edition of the Wagga Wagga Gold Cup runs on Friday, May 1, 2026.
2026 Wagga Wagga Gold Cup Odds
The Wagga Wagga Gold Cup 2026 betting odds will be available below the week of the race giving you access to the best autumn racing odds ahead of the $200,000 Listed showdown in May.
Wagga Wagga Gold Cup 2026 Results
| 4. Bianco Vilano (10) J: Jason Lyon 56.5kg 7×401 T: Ron Stubbs | ||
| 11. Villasaurus (12) J: Rachel King 54kg x1662 T: Donna Scott | ||
| 8. Flying Bandit (6) J: Jay Ford 54kg x7889 T: Kerry Parker | ||
| 2. Travolta (7) J: Tommy Berry 58kg 33443 T: Chris Waller | ||
| 6. Bear On The Loose (11) J: Regan Bayliss 54kg x3244 T: Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | ||
| 9. Knights Armour (5) J: Rebecca Bronett Prag 54kg 35746 T: Ross Lavis | ||
| 3. Star Of India (2) J: Chad Schofield 57kg x0799 T: Chris Waller | ||
| 7. Les Vampires (13) J: Amy Mclucas 54kg x0050 T: Lucy Longmire | ||
| 13. Burgundy Girl (9) J: Jessica Brookes 54kg 31167 T: Keith Dryden & Libby Snowden | ||
| 10. Cosmic Lad (3) J: Grant Buckley 54kg 66411 T: Mitchell Beer & George Carpenter | ||
| 12. Associate (1) J: Shaun Guymer 54kg 30433 T: Danielle Seib | ||
| 15. Wings Of Carmen (14) J: Cory Parish 54kg 53217 T: Steve Cunningham | ||
| 14. Southern Dancer (4) J: Jeff Penza 54kg x0645 T: Gary Colvin | ||
| 5. Quietness (8) J: Dylan Gibbons 54.5kg 2×644 T: Tom Charlton |
Wagga Wagga Gold Cup Tips
Wagga Wagga Cup tips include looking for proven Group-class stayers with winning form over the 2000m distance and those with a good lead-up run from the autumn.
Sydney-trained horses have a strong record in the race so runners from head stables make a good Wagga Wagga Gold tip, especially those prepared by Chris Waller who has won the race five times most recently in 2023 with Wicklow.
Backing horses drawn out wide is statistically a strong Wagga Wagg Gold Cup betting tip as from 2012-21 six of the 10 winners jumped from double-digit barriers.
Wicklow (barrier 13 in 2023) also won the race from out wide, as did Fawkner Park (gate 11 of 12 in 2024).
2026 Wagga Wagga Gold Cup Tips
Our Ladbrokes’ insider Wagga Wagga Cup 2026 betting tips and race selections will be detailed below the week of the race so stay tuned for the gallopers to back and sack in the autumn staying showdown.
| 2. Travolta (7) J: Tommy Berry 58kg 33443 T: Chris Waller |
| 5. Quietness (8) J: Dylan Gibbons 54.5kg 2×644 T: Tom Charlton |
| 10. Cosmic Lad (3) J: Grant Buckley 54kg 66411 T: Mitchell Beer & George Carpenter |
The Wagga Wagga Gold Cup is a popular Black-Type race run and won at Wagga Wagga in the Riverina region of New South Wales in early May each year.
The biggest event of the year hosted by the Murrumbidgee Turf Club, the race offers $200,000 in prize money and holds Listed status.
The Wagga Wagga Gold Cup is contested over 2000m and is an open handicap race that the locals claim is the second oldest horse race in Australia dating back to 1871 when originally known as the Free Handicap.
Traditionally run on the first Friday in May, Wagga Wagga Gold Cup Day follows the action of the Warrnambool Cup held in Victoria the day before.
The Wagga Wagga Cup Carnival runs over two days with the Town Plate on the Thursday kicking things off.
The Wagga Wagga Gold Cup is now also an officially qualifying race for Randwick’s $2 million The Big Dance (1600m), to be held from 2022 in Sydney on the same day as the Melbourne Cup.
Wagga Wagga Gold Cup Race Info
- Date: Friday, May 1, 2026
- Track: Wagga Wagga Racecourse
- Distance: 2000m
- Conditions: Open Handicap
- Status: Listed
- Prize Money: $200,000
- First Run: 1871
2026 Wagga Wagga Gold Cup Results
The official Wagga Wagga Gold Cup Results 2026 and race finishing order will be published below when the race is run and won on Friday, May 1, 2026.
- #4 Bianco Vilano
- #11 Villasaurus
- #8 Flying Bandit
Wagga Wagga Gold Cup Betting
Early Wagga Wagga Gold Cup odds are out at bookmakers after nominations are taken the Friday prior to the race and firm after the final field is announced the Tuesday of race week.
Wagga Wagga Gold Cup betting is traditionally dominated by the colts and geldings with Call Me Lily (2002) the last mare to win.
Proven middle-distance types from local Sydney-based stables sit high-up the Wagga Wagga Gold Cup betting markets, as do any past Group winners down in grade for the event.
House Of Cartier ($5 in 2020) was favourite in Wagga Wagga Cup betting and won before being subsequently disqualified. The following year the favourite Yonkers ran second in an upset behind 30/1 winner Inverloch.
The latest Wagga Wagga Gold Cup favourites to salute for the punters were Aleas ($4.60 in 2022), Fawkner Park ($3.70 in 2024), and Flying Bandit ($4.60 in 2025).
Wagga Wagga Gold Cup Field
The Wagga Wagga Gold Cup race field attracts a class line-up of in-form staying types out of a range of lead-up races in both Sydney and Melbourne over the autumn.
Following a run in the Wagga Wagga Gold Cup field many gallopers may head up to Brisbane for the winter targeting races like the Group 3 Premier’s Cup (2400m) and the Group 1 $1 million Doomben Cup (2000m).
In 2021 Spirit Ridge improved on a dead-heat second in the Wagga Wagga Gold Cup results to win the Premier’s Cup at Eagle Farm next start.
Wagga Wagga Cup nominations close the Monday of race week with the final field and barrier draw released on the Wednesday.
The Wagga Wagga Gold Cup 2026 final field features a quality line-up of staying types led in betting by the Chris Waller-trained Travolta coming off a third in Randwick’s Group 3 JRA Plate (2000m).
| Entrant | Last 6 | Sex | Barrier | Weight | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Doctor Askar (14) Scratched: | |||||
|
2. Travolta
J: Tommy Berry
T: Chris Waller |
433443 | G | 7 | 58kg | |
|
3. Star Of India
J: Chad Schofield
T: Chris Waller |
0x0799 | G | 2 | 57kg | |
|
4. Bianco Vilano
J: Jason Lyon
T: Ron Stubbs |
57x401 | G | 10 | 56.5kg | |
|
5. Quietness
J: Dylan Gibbons
T: Tom Charlton |
42x644 | M | 8 | 54.5kg | |
|
6. Bear On The Loose
J: Regan Bayliss
T: Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott |
2x3244 | G | 11 | 54kg | |
|
7. Les Vampires
J: Amy Mclucas
T: Lucy Longmire |
0x0050 | G | 13 | 54kg | |
|
8. Flying Bandit
J: Jay Ford
T: Kerry Parker |
0x7889 | G | 6 | 54kg | |
|
9. Knights Armour
J: Rebecca Bronett Prag
T: Ross Lavis |
x35746 | G | 5 | 54kg | |
|
10. Cosmic Lad
J: Grant Buckley
T: Mitchell Beer & George Carpenter |
x66411 | G | 3 | 54kg | |
|
11. Villasaurus
J: Rachel King
T: Donna Scott |
3x1662 | G | 12 | 54kg | |
|
12. Associate
J: Shaun Guymer
T: Danielle Seib |
630433 | G | 1 | 54kg | |
|
13. Burgundy Girl
J: Jessica Brookes
T: Keith Dryden & Libby Snowden |
031167 | M | 9 | 54kg | |
|
14. Southern Dancer
J: Jeff Penza
T: Gary Colvin |
7x0645 | M | 4 | 54kg | |
|
15. Wings Of Carmen
J: Cory Parish
T: Steve Cunningham |
353217 | G | 14 | 54kg | |
2026 Wagga Wagga Gold Cup Field
The official Wagga Wagga Gold Cup 2026 Field & Barriers will be released by Racing NSW the Wednesday before the race and published in full below so stay tuned to see what stayers make the starting line-up.
2026 Wagga Wagga Gold Cup Nominations
The early Wagga Wagga Gold Cup 2026 Nominations close the Monday leading up to the event and will be listed in full below once released.
| Last 10 | Horse | Sex | Age | Trainer | Hcp Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 410×286115 | ACHESON | G | 5 | Keith Dryden & Libby Snowden | |
| 2 | 526x02x421 | ALDER (IRE) | G | 6 | Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young | |
| 3 | 8411630433 | ASSOCIATE | G | 6 | Danielle Seib | 83 |
| 4 | 26222×3244 | BEAR ON THE LOOSE (IRE) | G | 6 | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | |
| 5 | x50057x401 | BIANCO VILANO | G | 7 | Ron Stubbs | |
| 6 | 5649031167 | BURGUNDY GIRL | M | 7 | Keith Dryden & Libby Snowden | 81 |
| 7 | 71237×8523 | CASUAL CONNECTION (NZ) | G | 7 | John Sargent | |
| 8 | 0125×66411 | COSMIC LAD | G | 5 | Mitchell Beer & George Carpenter | 92 |
| 9 | x0x9852160 | DOCTOR ASKAR (NZ) | G | 5 | Chris Waller | |
| 10 | 1x60642x00 | DON DIEGO DE VEGA (FR) | G | 6 | Annabel & Rob Archibald | |
| 11 | x124113x23 | DREAMS COME TRUE (NZ) | M | 5 | Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr) | |
| 12 | 17x640x788 | FLYING BANDIT | G | 5 | Kerry Parker | |
| 13 | 112028×461 | GLAD YOU THINK SO | G | 5 | John Sargent | |
| 14 | 6110×26736 | IMMEDIACY (NZ) | G | 5 | Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young | |
| 15 | 0x8809x646 | JIMI HENDRIX (IRE) | G | 7 | Annabel & Rob Archibald | |
| 16 | 0010451188 | KING EDWARD (NZ) | G | 5 | Matthew Kelley | 60 |
| 17 | 6178×35746 | KNIGHTS ARMOUR | G | 7 | Ross Lavis | |
| 18 | 1x050x0050 | LES VAMPIRES | G | 5 | Lucy Longmire | |
| 19 | 44215×7049 | NELLIE LEYLAX (IRE) | G | 5 | Annabel & Rob Archibald | |
| 20 | 5433173033 | PLACID PEARL | M | 4 | Matthew Smith | |
| 21 | 06120×4420 | PLYMOUTH | G | 4 | Ben, Will & JD Hayes | |
| 22 | 22x342x644 | QUIETNESS (GB) | M | 6 | Tom Charlton | |
| 23 | 51127×0645 | SOUTHERN DANCER | M | 4 | Gary Colvin | 74 |
| 24 | 80610×0799 | STAR OF INDIA (IRE) | G | 7 | Chris Waller | |
| 25 | 44×0720150 | TOURISTIC (GB) | G | 7 | Peter Snowden | |
| 26 | 361×433443 | TRAVOLTA (GB) | G | 5 | Chris Waller | |
| 27 | x8x6443600 | UNSPOKEN (IRE) | G | 7 | Peter Snowden | |
| 28 | 0x133x1662 | VILLASAURUS | G | 5 | Donna Scott | 85 |
| 29 | 23×0353217 | WINGS OF CARMEN | G | 4 | Steve Cunningham |
Table Credit: Racing Australia.
Wagga Wagga Gold Cup Form Guide
The Wagga Wagga Cup form guide details must know facts for punters including the trainers, jockeys, barriers and lead-up form of all the runners in the race.
Looking at the age of the horses in the field on the Wagga Wagga Gold Cup form is also crucial as older gallopers have a strong recent strike rate in the event with wins by Landlocked (8YO in 2015), Messene (7YO in 2016), Maurus (9YO in 2020) and Inverloch (7YO in 2021).
The Wagga Wagga Gold Cup form has gone on to hold in tougher grade races many times over the years including in 2021 when the runner-up Yonkers went on to win the Group 2 Shannon Stakes (1500m) first-up in the spring.
The Wagga Wagga Gold Cup form 2023 was franked with the second placed Lion’s Roar back that summer for the $2 million The Ingham where he ran third before a subsequent Group 3 Summer Cup victory at Randwick’s Boxing Day meet.
The 2024 Wagga Wagga Gold Cup winner, Fawkner Park, franked the form with a next-up third in that year’s Doomben Cup results before winning the $1.2 million The Q22.
2026 Wagga Wagga Cup Form Guide
A link to our comprehensive Wagga Wagga Cup 2026 Form Guide will be provided for punters below the week of the race.
CLICK HERE FOR OUR FULL 2026 WAGGA WAGGA GOLD CUP FORM GUIDE
Past Wagga Wagga Gold Cup Results
Multiple Wagga Wagga Gold Cup Winners: Allez Bijou (1981 & 1984); Big Bickies (1979 & 1980); Cop (1976 & 1978); What Fun (1967 & 1968); Flash Gem (1957 & 1958); Collison (1948 & 1949).
Goodwood (1999) holds the Wagga Wagga Gold Cup record winning in 1 minute 59:8 seconds.
Notable horses to head the Wagga Wagga Gold Cup race results in recent years include Messene (2016), Stampede (2017), Life Less Ordinary (2018), and Maurus* (2020).
*House Of Cartier was first past the post in the 2020 Wagga Wagga Gold Cup results but was subsequently disqualified due to a positive swab.
Recent Wagga Wagga Gold Cup Winners
Recent Wagga Wagga Gold Cup winners and placegetters dating back to the year 1997 are detailed in the below table.
| Year | Winner | Second | Third |
| 2026 | TBD | TBD | TBD |
| 2025 | Flying Bandit | Bianco Vilano | Matusalem |
| 2024 | Fawkner Park | Political Debate | Taramansour |
| 2023 | Wicklow | Lion’s Roar | Kukeracha |
| 2022 | Aleas | Dream Runner | Five Kingdom |
| 2021 | Inverloch | Spirit Ridge / Yonkers (Dead Heat) | – |
| 2020 | Maurus | Master Of Arts | High Opinion |
| 2019 | Abdon | High Opinion | Willi Willi |
| 2018 | Life Less Ordinary | Self Sense | Montauk |
| 2017 | Stampede | Life Less Ordinary | Cool Chap |
| 2016 | Messene | Iggi Pop | Adirondack |
| 2015 | Landlocked | Faust | Gypsy Diamond |
| 2014 | Trade Commissioner | Beyond Thankful | Price Of Glory |
| 2013 | Scream Machine | Devised | Coliseo |
| 2012 | Coliseo | Devised | Rain Drum |
| 2011 | Voice Commander | World Wide | Ironstein |
| 2010 | Sainthood | Barlagarney | Twin Wing |
| 2009 | Macknuckle | Cape Breton | Penrickson |
| 2008 | Tommifrancs | Limani | Grand Zulu |
| 2007 | Fooram | Mi Casa | EL Meroo |
| 2006 | Mc Lir | Jamberoo | Prime Century |
| 2005 | Natural Blitz | My Tally | Xlerate |
| 2004 | Vanquished | Not Fussy | Maskerado |
| 2003 | Kreisler Mirage | Majestically | Johnny Reb |
| 2002 | Call Me Lily | Bedouin | Hydromaster |
| 2001 | Regal Touch | Viva La Vie | Norm’s Bridle |
| 2000 | Sporting | Kugelhope | Lady Alate |
| 1999 | Goodwood | Ronzino | Count Scenario |
| 1998 | Chance Affair | Star Covet | Shearer Claude |
| 1997 | Here’s The Prince | Kenbelle | Jovial Dancer |
FAQ
Who won the 2025 Wagga Wagga Gold Cup?
The 2025 Wagga Wagga Gold Cup was won by four-year-old Trapeze Artist gelding Flying Bandit at $4.60 favouritism for trainer Kerry Parker with jockey Jay Ford aboard on 54kg from barrier 3 to win by 0.54 lengths in a time of 2:00.00.
When is the Wagga Wagga Gold Cup 2026?
Friday, May 1, 2026What is the prize money for the Wagga Wagga Gold Cup 2026?
$200,000
Where is the Wagga Wagga Cup 2026?
Wagga Racecourse, Slocum Street, Wagga Wagga NSW 2650
How do I bet on the 2026 Wagga Wagga Gold Cup?
Bet online or via the latest iOS/Android apps with Ladbrokes.
The first step is to create an account at ladbrokes.com.au. The process is quick and easy!
Once you've created your account you can make a deposit via credit card, or any other of our secure payment methods.
Next up, head to the racing page and find the race and runner that's right for you.
Which horse will win the 2026 Wagga Wagga Gold Cup?
The best way to pick which horse will win the Wagga Wagga Gold Cup is to take into account the form, assess the barriers, and consider the weight the horse will carry (among other factors). Check out neds.com.au in the lead up to the race for full form information.